My challenge: I was a little all over the place with my challenge. I was initially planning to create screencasts of all the databases and other tools a library user might need, but that morphed into creating a sort of teacher toolkit for using Wordpress.
Description of the challenge and link: Using QuickTime, iMovie and YouTube, I created tutorial videos (both basic and advanced) for various features of Wordpress. (I'm only posting one of the videos here--there are 10 in total, as well as an introductory podcast. I haven't yet decided on the best location for the full toolkit.)
Personal reflection on the process of developing the challenge, learning and implementing the new technology: Honestly, I found the process of developing the challenge frustrating and a little artificial. I think the most worthwhile time I spent in the PLC was one-on-one work walking other teachers through things like Wordpress and Google Docs, which is why I decided to create the toolkit. Once I devoted the time to actually creating the screencasts, it was a quick and easy process--maybe three hours over a couple of days during a long weekend.
Impact on student learning: My hope is that as more teachers use richer content management systems, like Wordpress and Drupal--and actually update them regularly--our students will start to use those systems as actual digital counterparts to classroom instruction, rather than simple online bulletin boards. I also think that expanding our use of tools like these that allow collaboration and content creation will encourage student creativity and participation.
My challenge: I was a little all over the place with my challenge. I was initially planning to create screencasts of all the databases and other tools a library user might need, but that morphed into creating a sort of teacher toolkit for using Wordpress.
Description of the challenge and link: Using QuickTime, iMovie and YouTube, I created tutorial videos (both basic and advanced) for various features of Wordpress. (I'm only posting one of the videos here--there are 10 in total, as well as an introductory podcast. I haven't yet decided on the best location for the full toolkit.)
Personal reflection on the process of developing the challenge, learning and implementing the new technology: Honestly, I found the process of developing the challenge frustrating and a little artificial. I think the most worthwhile time I spent in the PLC was one-on-one work walking other teachers through things like Wordpress and Google Docs, which is why I decided to create the toolkit. Once I devoted the time to actually creating the screencasts, it was a quick and easy process--maybe three hours over a couple of days during a long weekend.
Impact on student learning: My hope is that as more teachers use richer content management systems, like Wordpress and Drupal--and actually update them regularly--our students will start to use those systems as actual digital counterparts to classroom instruction, rather than simple online bulletin boards. I also think that expanding our use of tools like these that allow collaboration and content creation will encourage student creativity and participation.